Fate T Harlaown: Ace Enforcer 2: Hour of the Beast
by F91
Summary: Fate is horribly disturbed after witnessing the most gruesome crime scene of her career. Can she hold it together and stop a killer who might not even be human? Rated M for graphic violence. Fate/Yuuno.
1. Chapter 1

Welcome to the 2nd installment of Ace Enforcer! Things are gonna get pretty graphic in this fic, so be warned. There'll be more action, and more focus on Fate and Yuuno's relationship, too. Please enjoy!

* * *

Magic: the great power that fuels Mid Childan society. This over technology is capable of many great deeds, and many great evils. It can heal the sick, or it can destroy entire cities. It has allowed the universe to expand, but it also allowed conflict to intensify. Some covet this power, some revel in it. Many love it, many despise it.

Central Mid Childa stands testament to this contrast. In the center of the city, it was clean and prosperous. People happily went about their daily lives, going to work, spending free time at the mall, eating good food, seeing a movie. They turn a blind eye to what surrounds their haven.

The further you move into the outskirts, the more it becomes noticeable. Blocks upon blocks of decrepit, abandoned buildings. Happy chatter becomes desolate silence. Wars, terrorist attacks, criminal activity, and failed experiments had lay waste to the city many times. Rather than do something about the damage, the people simply moved elsewhere, leaving the crumbling husks of their homes behind. The structures were left at the mercy of the elements and time.

It was to this area of the city where Fate and her aides Shari and Teana headed on a Saturday morning. Their destination was relatively close to the populated area. That was probably the only reason why a crime was even discovered there. No one cared about the abandoned city. Aside from designated training areas, there was no reason for anyone to go there. Anyone not affiliated with the underworld, that is. No one knows what stories the empty structures could tell. There is no way of knowing how many lives had vanished in that wasteland.

But this time, they knew. Fate and her aides had been called in by the local police force. There had been a murder with suspected Lost Logia involvement. There was a specific request for an agent with many years of experience. Having eleven years on the job, Fate was a good choice.

"They didn't give us very many details." Teana noted as she reviewed the data. "No photos, either."

"We'll just have to wait until we get there to get a handle on the situation." Fate said. "Then we'll take it from there."

The scene was a white building that probably functioned as a warehouse in its glory days. It was wider than it was tall, and its only noticeable feature was the big, brown double doors that took up three quarters of the façade. There was also a smaller door for personnel next to it. The metal was rusted, and the paint chipped. The concrete had several large cracks decorating the walls. Fate parked next to a long line of police cruisers. They had barely put their feet outside on the ground when they heard a bellow.

"Oh no, I don't think so!" The large man who stalked over had his big hands clenched into fists. His stern, stubble spotted face had less colour than the last time Fate had seen him.

"Detective Ford." She greeted. "What seems to be the problem?"

"What the hell?!" He huffed. "I asked the Bureau for some hardened veterans! Not you kids!"

"Detective, you know how capable we are." Fate blinked in confusion. She had proven herself on the last case they had worked on. Why was there a problem?

"Oh no." He shook his head violently. "I don't care! I'm not letting you go near that crime scene!"

Being denied so forcefully invoked Fate's not often used stubborn streak.

"Detective, we have our orders assigning us to this case." She stated. "I have more than enough experience to handle it."

"Experience?" Ford jabbed his finger towards an adjacent building. Leaning against the wall were a dozen officers, squatting down with their heads between their legs. "See them over there? Most of them have twice the amount of experience you do! And look at them! Their breakfast is now all over the damn place!"

Fate stared in shock. Cops had to see a lot of horrible things over the course of the job. If officers who have been in the field that long were hunched over, puking their guts out… Fate couldn't even imagine what they've seen. "What happened here?"

"The less you know, the better." Ford said with narrowed eyes. "I'm not going to let girls barely older than my daughter traumatize themselves! Now go and have the Bureau send some one else!"

Fate considered it, but shook her head. She was there, and she wanted to help. "We're not leaving, Detective."

"Damn it!" Ford ruffled his short brown hair. "Damn it! Ok, fine. But only you!" He pointed at Fate. "Your aides stay here!"

"That's fine." Fate turned to her aides. "Shari, Teana, please scan the perimeter for any abnormal readings. I'll check out the building."

The two girls nodded and dispersed.

"You really won't change your mind, Ms Enforcer?" Ford almost pleaded as they approached the building. "You don't want to see this."

"I'll handle it." Fate assured him.

"I warned you…" He let out a long sigh.

"Please tell me what happened."

"Early this morning, a homeless man came to this building seeking shelter." Ford explained. "That's when he found… 'it'. After emptying his stomach, he ran back towards downtown, found the nearest public phone and called it in."

"What made you suspect Lost Logia involvement?"

"… You'll see." Ford said after a moment of silence. They stood in front of the smaller door before he spoke again. "You're going to need a Bio-Barrier."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny, rectangular device. Having no magical ability, Ford and the majority of the police force had to use such devices. It functioned like any battery powered device, only its energy source is magic cartridges. The device would drain power from the cartridges and cast the spell it was programmed with. A Bio-Barrier is a spell designed to prevent contamination of a crime scene, and protect against biological hazards. Ford flicked the device on, and his body briefly flashed a gold outline.

Fate had no need for such a device, as she had her own.

"Bardiche." She took the gold triangle from her pocket.

"**Bio-Barrier."** He said. Fate's body was also outlined in gold.

"This is your last chance." Ford warned again, placing his hand on the door handle. "Once I open this door, there's no going back."

"Please don't worry about me."

Ford sighed again and opened the door.

The smell hit her first.

That vile, putrid metallic smell struck her like a punch to the face. Her eyes stung and began to water. The filthy air forced its way down her lungs, causing her to cough. Her hand quickly covered her nose and mouth. Unfortunately, her vision was unprotected against the carnage that lay before her.

It was as if some one had redecorated the room for a party. The walls, floor, and even the ceiling shimmered with a fresh coat of crimson paint. Streamers were strewn all over, stretching from one end of the room to the other. Some carelessly hung from the roof reached the floor with length to spare. Ornaments hung from the wall, and pieces of confetti were littered all over the place.

The horrible reality was that the there was no fresh paint. All sides of the room were covered in blood. Large drops rained from the ceiling and gathered on the floor. There were no streamers, just small and large intestines tossed about. The ornaments were arms, legs, shattered bones, and faces, embedded into the wall by some great force. The stump of a limb still dripped the liquid of life onto the ground, adding more to the soup of broken fingers, ears, noses, eyeballs, marrow, lungs, livers, kidneys, hearts, and shredded clothing. The ghastly display was illuminated by the daylight that poured in through a large hole in the ceiling.

Fate had no words. Even if she did, she couldn't spare the strength to say them. It was all focused on keeping her stomach contents from expelling out her mouth. It was too much. Fate knew the terrible things humans could do to each other, but she had never seen anything so… horrific. To render another person to mere pieces of meat… how could a human be capable of such a thing?

"There is no way in hell a normal person did this." Ford growled. Even he had vomited earlier at the sight. His digestive system was empty, but his face was still tinted green. "You'd need a group of people to do this much. But there's no way that's the case. No way could they have cleaned themselves up after committing… this massacre. They would have carried something outside, but the perimeter is clean. Hell, I don't even think a familiar could pull this off! That's why my money's on some sort of Lost Logia involvement."

"… How many victims?" Fate managed weakly. "There's no way all this came from one person."

Ford shook his head. "We have no idea. But I count at least four livers floating around. Who knows how many more were mashed up into something unrecognisable."

"Four?" Fate forced herself to look. Forced herself to take it in. At least four people had been reduced to this. Four people had their lives ended in the worse way possible. She vowed on the spot to find who, or what, did this to them. She would get them justice.

It was then that she noticed the figures in full on white HazMat suits rather than barriers sifting through the slush. They held cameras and took pictures as they moved along, occasionally picking up body parts and placing them into bags.

"The best in the business." Ford explained. "They must have nerves of titanium. Sorry, but I couldn't wait for you before I had them start processing the scene. It… it will take a long time to get everything…"

"I understand, Detective." Shakily, Fate stepped into the warehouse. Colour further drained from her face at the all too audible splash as her shoe met fluid. The barrier would ensure that her shoes wouldn't be ruined, but that was the least of her concerns. Wading through what used to be a person was what unsettled her. "Bardiche…"

"**Scanning."** The intelligent device replied. **"No abnormal residual magical readings of the Mid Childan or Belka type. Unknown reading detected. Unable to identify."**

"A type of magic that isn't Mid Childan or Belka?" Fate asked.

"**Negative, sir. Unknown reading is not identified as a system of magic."**

"Then what the hell could we be dealing with?" Ford pondered.

'_Teana, Shari, are you picking up any strange readings?'_ Fate mentally contacted her subordinates.

'_Nope, nothing weird here, Fate-san."_ Answered Shari.

'_Same here.'_ Replied Teana.

"Shari and Teana haven't picked up anything outside… So the reading is just in here…" Fate told Ford.

"So whatever did this didn't come just walking on in, and didn't leave out the front door…" Ford looked up. "I think we know our point of entry and exit." He indicated the hole in the ceiling.

"Flight capable…" Fate murmured. "But doesn't use magic…" She stopped when she heard a clinking noise at her foot. She looked down, only to see the carpet of blood. Swallowing hard, she bent down and reached into the red. The barrier didn't prevent her hand from feeling the warm, wet sensation of the blood on her skin. She grasped blindly in the muck until she touched something hard. She gripped it and pulled her hand up. From her grasp dangled a chain. Gravity caused the wet blood to run down, revealing a gold colour. Attached to the chain were the letters B and S. The top hook of the S was threaded through the bottom hoop of the B.

"Looks like a necklace." Ford observed. "Might help us identify the owner." He held out an evidence bag and Fate dropped the necklace in.

Unable to continue keeping herself distracted with her thoughts, Fate made long strides towards the door before the nausea took over. Ford followed wordlessly and closed the door behind him after they exited. Fate took a deep, long breath of the comparatively clear air. The barrier had prevented the stench from clinging to her uniform, but her nostrils still remembered. The images were still fresh in her mind.

"You ok?" Ford asked.

"I'm fine." She said, even though it was a lie. Her stomach was in turmoil and her face was whiter than Nanoha's barrier jacket.

"I know it's bad." Ford started. "I think you should…"

"Detective!" Some one shouted. "We've secured a suspicious individual!"

"What?" Ford shouted back as he and Fate ran to the source of the commotion.

"Let go of me, yo!" Came another voice. "I didn't do nothing!"

"For the love of…" Ford sighed when he arrived. Being pinned to the ground by a cop was a scrawny white teenager. He wore a white wife beater and silver shorts worn low enough to show the top part of his plaid boxers. Curly blond hair was covered by a red do-rag. His brown eyes were hot with defiance, glaring at anyone within his range of vision. "What are you doing out here, kid?"

"I don't gotta answer to no cop, ya dig?" The boy spat. "Don't need a reason to hang in my crib. You cops got no right being here! Me and my buds ain't done nothin!"

Ford put his palm over his face. "Double negatives, son, do you know them? If you 'ain't done nothin', that means you did something… Wait, you and your buds?"

"That's right! Me and my posse, we hang at this warehouse!" The teen gloated. "Had a rockin party last night! I had to leave early, but I bet it got even crazier after I left!"

Ford and Fate both froze. "How old are you, son?" Ford asked.

"I ain't your son, pops! And I be sixteen! What's it to you?"

"Your buddies… are they the same age as you?"

"Yeah. So what?"

Fate and Ford exchanged uneasy glances before looking back at the warehouse.

They now knew that the horror held within was all that remained of a bunch of kids.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, how do you want to work this kid?" Ford asked. They had taken the young man back to the police station. There wasn't much more to be done at the scene until it was processed. "While he probably hasn't done anything, he's trying to act tough. I say we refrain from being too gentle."

"I'll leave it to you, then." Fate answered. She looked through the two-way mirror into the interview room where the boy sat. He had a smug smirk on his face. He didn't seem to mind being interrogated by the police.

Danny 'D-Dog' Dodge was ecstatic. He had actually been taken in by the cops! Maybe he'd even get a criminal record! The guys will be so jealous when they heard about this! His street cred would sky rocket!

He watched as the old man and the chick walked in and sat in front of him. Damn, was that girl fine. That long blonde hair, those sparkling red eyes, and that rack that noticeably bulged out of her uniform. If he played his cards right and showed her how hardcore he is, she'll be begging for him to see what was under that black jacket.

He shot her a wink, and she responded with a sad smile. D-Dog imagined how her face would be lost in pleasure when he showed her his manliness.

"Eyes over here, kid." Ford snapped his fingers in front of the delusional boy's face. Ford didn't want drool all over the table. Sometimes he thought the young Enforcer was too pretty for her own good. "So, Danny-boy, why don't you tell us about what happened last night?"

"The name's D-Dog, pops!" D-Dog puffed out his chest. "And I don't gotta tell you nothin'!"

"You said you were hanging out with your buddies." Ford went on. "What are their names? Where can we find them?"

"I ain't sellin' out my homies!" He seemingly waved his hands about at random, select fingers pointing outwards. "We be tight, yo!"

Ford suppressed a groan. This kid was being ridiculous. He might as well get it over with.

"What if I told you all your buddies were dead?"

Danny balked for a moment. "You… You're just playin' me!" He said, his defiant tone now replaced by a wary one. "You're lying!"

Ford silently tossed the bag containing the bloody necklace across the table. "You recognise this?"

Danny lost all muscle control in his face. His jaw hung open and his skin became even pastier. "That's… that's B-Sly's bling! Why… This… this is some kind of joke, right?"

He studied the detective's face. The man didn't look like he was kidding. The hot blonde sadly shook her head.

"Oh God." Danny shot up, knocking his chair back. "Ohgodohgodohgodohgod…" He repeated over and over. He breathing became heavy and erratic. "Nonononono…"

"Crap. Some one get a paper bag in here!" Ford ordered. Fate crossed over to the boy and lightly held his shuddering shoulders.

"Calm down, Danny." She whispered. "Control your breathing. Do it nice, and slowly. In and out, in and out."

Danny listened to the sweet, soothing voice in his ear. He followed her instructions and he levelled out. He took the paper bag Ford handed to him and begun breathing into it. Fate gently eased him back into the chair.

"I know this is hard." She said. "But we need you to help us."

Danny shakily reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. "Their names…" He whispered. "On my contact list… The only ones listed in the 'friends' group…"

Fate took the phone. She'd give it to Shari to run the names. But first…

"Is there anyone you want us to call to come and be with you?" She asked.

Danny gave her a shy side glance. "I… I want my mom."

X-X-X

Danny's mom, as it turned out, was also his lawyer.

"On what grounds are you holding my son?" Shirley Dodge demanded as she breezed into the station. Ford was there to greet the business suit clad woman. She was a pretty lady, no older than forty. Her brown curls bounced when she stopped in front of the detective.

"Your son isn't in any trouble, Mrs Dodge." He assured her. "There's been an incident, and we'd like to ask him a few questions. Your presence was requested for emotional support."

The professional determination disappeared from her eyes, leaving only the concern of a mother. "Where is he?" She asked. Ford took her to the interview room, where Danny was still being comforted by Fate. The moment Shirley entered the room, he jumped up and ran to her.

"Mom!" He cried, clinging to her. He sobbed noisily into her chest.

"Danny!" She returned the hug. "What's wrong, honey?"

"They're dead!" He sniffed. "They said they're all dead!"

"Who's dead?" Shirley looked to Fate for answers.

"Please, have a seat, Mrs Dodge," She said. "And we'll explain."

After everyone was sitting down, Ford summarized the situation.

"This morning human remains were discovered in the warehouse Danny says he and his friends hung out at last night." He said. "The remains are unidentifiable, but there is a distinct possibility that the remains belong to your son's friends. Danny identified a personal effect that was found at the scene."

"How were they killed?" Shirley asked.

"… I can't tell you that." Ford answered. He thought it best they didn't know the horrific details. "We need you to tell us about your friends, Danny. We need to know what you guys did last night."

"O… Ok…" Still shaky and weeping, Danny spoke. "My friends and I, there are seven of us including me. We like to dress up like this, and pretend to be gangsters. We don't do anything real gangs do. We just hang out, walk the streets, act like we're big shots… We… We were just trying to be manly." He wiped at his eyes. "Guess I'm not being very manly right now…"

"Real men aren't afraid to cry." Ford said in absolute seriousness. Danny seemed to brighten a little at the comment.

"It was Friday, so once we got out of school, we just chilled out… went to the arcade, loitered around the food court… We'd just strut down the street. It felt really good to see people trying to avoid us…"

"I've met these boys before." Shirley added. "They're all good kids. This gangster front was harmless."

"Well we… we got a little carried away sometimes…" Danny admitted. "Some one bumped into us, so we gave him a hard time about it… but nothing serious happened, and I apologised, too… That was the only time we caused trouble for anyone, I swear!"

"It's all right." Fate said. "Please go on."

"After we got tired of walking around, we just headed back to the warehouse… We had found that place not too long ago. Decided to make it our secret base of sorts… We… uh…" He passed a shameful glance at the two women in the room. "Had bought some… dirty magazines to look at…"

"That's perfectly normal, Danny." His mom told him. Fate followed up with a nod.

"Well…" Danny continued. "We were just hanging, and at nine I went home because… there was this special about battleships on at ten that I really wanted to watch…"

And that show, Ford mused, was what saved his life.

"I went to bed after it was done. Then this morning, I went back to the warehouse to meet up with the guys… and… well, you know the rest…" The boy finished.

Fate was secretly grateful to the homeless man. If this boy had been the one to discover the scene…

"Did you have any rival gangs?" Ford inquired. "Or perhaps you know of some real gangs that might not have liked you and your friends hanging out in their territory?"

Danny shook his head. "Like I said, we didn't cause trouble for anyone. We only acted that way because we knew the area was safe…"

Ford didn't expect that line of thought to go anywhere. His money was on those poor kids simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But he had to play it safe.

"Ok, here's the deal." He addressed Shirley. "We're going to take your son into protective custody."

Danny's eyes turned to saucers and he clung to his mother's arm. "Do… Do you think the killer will come after me, too?"

"There's a chance." Was all Ford said. Danny's breath began getting heavier again.

"Danny, how would you like to ride on an Interdimensional Warship?" Fate asked quickly before he started hyperventilating again. Danny's breath hitched and he looked at Fate curiously.

"A warship?" A little excitement lit up his eyes. "You mean, like the kind that floats around in space?"

"That's right." Fate smiled. "You'll be safe there, and you'll get to travel around the universe."

"Can… can mom and dad come too?"

"Of course they can." Fate shot Shirley a look. The other woman nodded.

"Come on, dear." She said as she rose. "Let's got call your father." She wrapped a supportive arm around her son's shoulder and led him out of the room. When they reached the door, Danny turned to Fate.

"Um… Miss… Earlier I thought some very… rude and inappropriate things about you… I'm really sorry…"

"Don't worry about it, Danny."

X-X-X

"You sure have a way with kids." Ford commented when they were alone. It made Fate smile a little. They exited the interview room and were greeted by Shari and Teana. The two teenagers had solemn looks on their faces.

"We tried calling the numbers in the phone." Shari said. "There were no answers. However, the team at the crime scene were able to find six cell phones when they rang."

Ford cursed and ruffled his hair. "So we have the technology to make cell phones that still work after being thrown around and soaked in blood, but we're powerless to protect a bunch of kids playing a stupid game from being turned into puddles of gloop. What a world we live in."

Fate studied her aides. They were only a year older than the boys who were killed. Their chosen profession came with risks. They had long since accepted that they may fall in the line of duty. But the boys were just students having a night out on the town. The thought that some one would see fit to end their lives in such a way would never have crossed their minds.

The red warehouse flashed through Fate's head. Her stomach stirred uneasily.

"Did you get the names and addresses of all the victims?" Ford asked. Shari nodded. "Ok then. Let's go girls." He sighed. "We have lives to ruin."

X-X-X

Fate spent the next several hours doing just that. It was never easy to see the uncertain terror in people's eyes when they see law enforcement on their doorsteps. Never easy to watch as people broke when they heard the news. Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents, they all cried when told their family would be forever missing a member. Some tried to deny it, tried to pass it off as some sort of mistake, but they would face the truth eventually.

Even though they suffered, questions had to be asked, information gathered. Were you aware of your son's activities? Did he mention having trouble with some one? Was he worried about anything?

Between sobs, the answers were all negative. His activities were a harmless game. He didn't cause trouble. He was only worried about the normal things that came with being a teenager.

Fate felt horrible as they left each shattered home. She was powerless to ease their pain, their grief. She wanted to offer some sort of comfort, but knew all she could give were empty words. The families would never have closure until the monster that did this was caught.

Would Fate act like that? What would she do if she opened her door one day to see a uniform before her, telling her that something had happened to Erio, Caro, or Vivio? How would others react if it was Fate herself that was killed? Those were questions Fate hoped never to learn the answers to.

X-X-X

It was early evening by the time they returned to the police station. All they could do was sit on their hands until the report from the crime scene came in. Fate looked miserably into the cup of coffee she had no intention of drinking.

"There's not much for you to do around here, kid." Ford told her. He could see she was trying too hard to hold it together. He tried not to speak too loudly, for he feared the vibration would knock her over. "I suggest you head on home, get some rest. Maybe take tomorrow off, too. It's been a rough day."

Fate shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I can handle it."

"Enforcer Harlaown." Ford replied sternly. "There's no way what you saw today isn't haunting you right now. No one is that hard boiled. Go home, take a few days. Get it out of your system. I'll keep you updated on the investigation."

"But…"

"Fate-san." Shari jumped in. "To be perfectly blunt, you look like hell." If Fate had a mirror handy, she would have seen just how much the shadow that had gathered under her eyes stood out on her pale skin. "Teana and I can handle things on this end. We just need to analyze that unknown reading you picked up. I have no idea what you saw in there, but I know it wasn't good. Please allow yourself some time to recover."

Fate looked into Shari's concerned gaze, and then saw the same expression on Teana. The truth was, Fate wanted to accept the offer. It hadn't crossed her mind at all during the day, but she actually had plans for the evening.

"Thank you…" She muttered. Her day had been filled with nothing but death and misery. She needed some warmth and kindness.

There was a certain person she really wanted to see.

* * *

I feel this chapter could have probably been better, but nothing particularly interesting happens anyways. It would have been longer, but I felt that was a good place to end the chapter. As such, all the Fate/Yuuno stuff will be in the next chapter. Look forward to it.


	3. Chapter 3

This chapter and chapter 4 were originally one, but it ended up being long enough that I could split it in two. Expect 4 soon.

* * *

Yuuno tossed his work shirt into his laundry basket, and slipped on a clean one. Business at the Infinity Library went on as usual, despite a few staff changes a month ago. Said staff changes had seen Yuuno being charged with murder. He was quite shocked to learn that his assistant had been the one to frame him. He had had complete faith in her stern, professional demeanour. He had been oblivious to the hatred that existed beneath.

It was all thanks to Fate that he was a free man. Yuuno would forever be grateful to her. Her only request was to go out for dinner together. It had been a fun evening. It made him realise that they never had the chance to connect outside of the work place. Even though the bulk of their discussion was indeed about their work, the casual air really made a difference. Fate opened up about other concerns she had as well. She had talked about Erio and Caro's blossoming relationship and her uncertainty over how much she should meddle in it. She also lamented about the rumours of the nature of her and Nanoha's relationship. Yuuno had to laugh a little at that. He was confident that if his friends were in such a relationship, he'd be one of the first to know of it.

They had opted for a simple family restaurant. The food had been good and reasonably priced. Yuuno had insisted on paying, but they ended up splitting the bill. Afterwards, they decided to make a habit out of it. Over the past month, they had gone out whenever their schedules had allowed. They turned it into sort of a tour of Mid Childa's restaurants. They'd go to a place at random, and try out foods they'd never eaten before. Some places were good, others not so good. Wondering to how the meal would taste and how it would differ from others was half the fun.

They were going out again tonight. Yuuno always looked forward to spending time with his friend. However, lately he had begun to notice something…

The sound of the doorbell derailed his train of thought. Pulling his ponytail out from the back of his shirt, he went to the door. He was surprised to see Fate through the peephole. He wasn't expecting her for at least another hour. Yuuno opened the door and was surprised further when he noticed she was still in her uniform. Her face was pale with a tint of green, and her eyes were tired and strained.

"Fate, what's wrong?" He asked. Fate tried to smile.

"I'm sorry, Yuuno… but I'll have to cancel on dinner…" It had been a struggle for her to hold it together this long, but she had finally reached her limit. Slapping her hand over her mouth, she let out a muffled "Excuse me" and rushed into Yuuno's apartment. She found her way to his bathroom, knelt before the toilet and emptied herself into the bowl. She hadn't eaten since breakfast, so she didn't have much to throw up. Gastric acid burned her throat and nostrils as it passed through. Tears stung her eyes.

Yuuno was instantly at her side. He swept back her blonde locks and held them in one hand. The other gently stroked her back. He had no idea what was wrong, but he was pretty sure it wasn't just a simple case of the flu.

"So much blood…" she sobbed. "So much blood… They were just kids… Bits and pieces… everywhere…" She retched again, but it was dry.

'So that's what it is.' Yuuno grimaced while still massaging her quivering back. Yuuno knew Fate to be a strong woman. It must have been absolutely horrid if it reduced her to this.

Fate remained hunched over the porcelain until her shivering subsided. Yuuno reached over for a towel. He handed it to her, and she wiped her mouth.

"I'm so sorry." She said weakly. Yuuno offered a sympathetic smile.

"It's ok, Fate." He said. "I understand."

X-X-X

"I'll leave a change of clothes here." Yuuno said, placing the clothes in the basket outside the bath door.

"Thank you." Fate called from the shower. She stood under the stream and let the hot water pelt her body. It washed away that disgusting feeling that had coated her skin.

She had let him see a pathetic side of her, she mused. Her hunched over figure heaving into a toilet was probably not a very appealing sight. But she felt no shame in it. She knew Yuuno wouldn't think any less of her. She knew that he would still accept her. She was able to show him her vulnerable side precisely because she felt so safe and comfortable in his presence. That's the kind of man he was. The kind of man she fell in love with.

She finished showering, towelled off, and changed into the clothes Yuuno had provided. It took her a few moments to register that the shirt and pants were his. Colour crept back on to her face, and she indulged herself in a little giddiness. She is a girl, after all.

She walked into the living room to see Yuuno placing two cups of tea on his coffee table.

"Thanks again, Yuuno." She said. Yuuno was only a little taller than Fate, so his clothes fit her well enough. Of course, Fate had him beat in terms of… 'horizontal dimensions.' Her generous bust and smooth curves were outlined quite nicely by the fabric clinging to damp skin. Her moist hair shimmered under the light, and the steam induced pinkness in her cheeks added to her radiance.

Yuuno caught himself staring. "Ah! Please have a seat and drink some tea." He said, flustered. Not even Durandal could make a man cold enough to resist being enticed by his friend's beauty. It was a fact that was becoming painfully more difficult to overlook.

Fate sat and wrapped herself in the blanket Yuuno had prepared for her. She picked up the tea cup with both hands and brought it up to her face. She took in the smell of it, gently blew away some heat and took a sip. The liquid comfort flowed down her throat. She could feel the kindness of the one who brewed it contained within.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Yuuno asked as he sat next to her. Fate nodded. She had gotten the worst of it out of her system already, but there was still more.

"We were called to a scene this morning." She began. "It was a warehouse in the old district… It was… How can I describe it…? Really bad… It… It was like something tore people apart and threw the pieces all over the room…" Fate swallowed hard. "No, that's probably exactly what happened… Blood and body parts were everywhere. We learned later that there were six kids. Boys who were only sixteen years old… It's just… horrible." Fate sighed at her lack of vocabulary. Those words were all she could think of to describe it.

Yuuno sipped his own tea. "I see." He said.

"I… I just don't know what to do…" Fate admitted. "The images are so clear in my head… Will they ever go away?"

"No, they won't." Yuuno said flatly. "I was only seven when I was involved in my first cave in. The risk is always there for archaeologists, but even knowing that can't prepare you. I was lucky enough not to be underground when it happened, but I was the first to rush in and try to dig the others out. We did manage to get through the rubble, but…" Yuuno shook his head. "The others had already been crushed. And… well… it certainly wasn't a pretty sight." Yuuno smiled sadly. Fate had no idea such a thing had happened to him in the past.

"How did you handle it?" She asked.

"Not very well, you could imagine." Yuuno chuckled at himself. "I was a wreck. But the other members of the tribe told me it was an inevitable experience that was sure to happen again. I didn't want to believe it, though. So I dedicated myself to making sure it wouldn't happen again. I trained hard to master barrier, teleportation, and healing magic. If a ceiling crumbled, I'd protect everyone. If we were trapped, I'd get us out of there. If some one was hurt, I'd heal them. And that's what you should do, Fate. Use that experience to propel yourself forward. Make sure you capture the culprit so it will never happen again."

Fate let it sink in. He was right. She had to work hard to make sure no one else would get hurt. "Thank you, Yuuno."

"People are such fragile things, aren't we?" He mused. "We get hurt so easily. That's why we wear various forms of 'armour' to protect ourselves. But sometimes the things we use to protect ourselves are what end up destroying us."

"That's why the world needs people like us." Fate nodded. "To make sure those things are used properly, and to stop those who don't."

"That's right."

Fate set down her tea cup and closed her eyes. She knew being with Yuuno would make her feel better. Her body felt incredibly light. As the stress fled from her body, her consciousness threatened to leave with it. Giving no thought to the implications, Fate let her body drift to the side.

Yuuno jumped a fraction when her head met his shoulder, but he soon settled. "It really was a tough day for you, wasn't it?" He said idly. He brushed a stray hair away from Fate's sleeping face.

X-X-X

Fate found herself alone in the room. There were no light sources anywhere, only darkness.

"Yuuno?" She called. She was still at his apartment, wasn't she? "Where are you?" Fate groped through the blackness. Eventually her foot hit something, and she fell to the floor. She met the floor, not with a 'thump' but with a 'splash.' She brought her hands to her face and met a familiar smell.

Blood.

She whipped her head around to see what she had tripped over. A familiar pair of eyes looked back at her.

"Lindy-kaa-san!" She cried. She stared in horror at the torso of her adoptive mother. That's all there was of her. She scrambled backwards and felt her rear hit a wall. Something dripped onto her head, causing her to look up.

"Onii-chan!" She screamed. The right side of his face gawked at her. The other half had become one with the wall. Breathing heavily now, Fate tried to crawl away, but her path was blocked.

"Erio! Caro!" The boy's insides spilled out of the gaping hole in his gut, while the girl's face had been torn off. Covering her mouth, Fate pulled herself to her feet.

She almost tripped again when she came across the body of a small child. It had been snapped in two like a cheap piece of china.

"Vivi…" She couldn't bring herself to finish the name. Then she saw the giant spike. It had skewered some poor soul between the legs and erupted from the top in a spew of grey matter.

"Nanoha…" Fate fell to her knees. "No, no, this can't be real, this can't be happening! Is anybody still alive?" She spotted a figure standing in the corner. Recognising him immediately, she got up and ran towards him.

"Yuuno! You're ok!" She put her hands on his shoulders. "I'm so…" The vibration caused his face to smile up at her as his head rolled onto the floor. The spray from his neck soaked Fate's face before the body crumpled. Fate stood in shock as she slowly brought her hands to her face. She raked her fingers into her cheeks and screamed.

X-X-X

Fate shot up right into Yuuno's awaiting arms. He knew the nightmares would hit her, and he was ready for them. She convulsed in his embrace, her haggard breathing and wet sobs filled the room.

"They're dead, they're dead!" She wailed.

"Shhh, it's ok Fate." Yuuno stroked her hair. "It was just a dream. I'm right here."

"Nanoha, Vivio, Erio, Caro…"

"They're all ok. Nothing's happened to them. They're safe. You're safe."

"Yuuno… you were…"

"I'm just fine. Everything is just fine."

Fate took several deep breaths and stopped shaking. She reminded herself where she was. She was in Yuuno's apartment, and he was right there with her.

Satisfied she had calmed down, Yuuno began backing away. However, to his surprise Fate's arms wrapped around him and held him there.

"F-Fate?" He blushed. Her face was buried in his chest, so her expression was unknown.

"Just… Just a little longer…" She muttered. "Just stay like this for a little longer…"

Yuuno offered no objection. Fate fell asleep again to the beating of his heart.

X-X-X

This time, Fate woke up to the artificial sunlight. She allowed herself a big yawn and stretched out her arms. She felt refreshed. She froze as she scanned the unfamiliar room, but relaxed when she remembered where she was.

And promptly froze again. She recalled falling asleep on the couch. So why was she in a bed? The only way she could have gotten there was if some one carried her…

Fate pulled up the sheets to hide her blush, even though she was alone in the room. She buried her face even deeper when she remembered what happened after the nightmare. He had been waiting by her side, and she had latched onto him. She still felt the warmth of his embrace.

Even though she was embarrassed, she couldn't help but grin. It was so nice. Being in love was such a funny experience.

While part of her found the idea of lounging around in Yuuno's bed highly appealing, she decided she should start the day. She wondered if he was up yet. She got her answer when she entered the living room to find him asleep on the couch.

She felt it best to let him sleep. She had no idea how long he had stayed up watching over her. She bent over and pulled up the blanket he had thrown over himself. She remained a moment, watching his peaceful face. He might not have been drop dead gorgeous, but Fate still thought he was a very handsome man. Of course his looks were secondary. She loved him for his gentle kindness. The same that he had shown her the previous night.

Her eyes focused on his mouth as it silently drew in oxygen and expelled carbon dioxide. She caught herself, trying to shake the idea out of her head. It half worked. She brought her face to his and briefly pressed her lips against his cheek.

"Thank you for everything." She whispered. She had been thanking him a lot lately. Yuuno stirred slightly, but didn't wake. Fate hurriedly shuffled off to the kitchen. She could at least make them breakfast.

Recalling that she hadn't eaten in almost twenty-four hours, Fate was starving. She felt a lot better, so she figured she could keep breakfast down. If not, it was still better to have something in there to throw up.

The problem was if there was anything to eat at all.

Fate checked the fridge and was pleasantly surprised to see it wasn't completely empty. Yuuno usually spent all his time at the Library, working late into the night and sleeping at his desk. The presence of milk, eggs, cheese, and other items showed he had been coming home and having breakfast there. Fate hypothesized that their frequent dinners had a hand in that. It got him to punch out for the evening.

Finding a loaf of bread in the cupboard that had yet to go stale, Fate decided on a simple breakfast of eggs and toast. She found the pristine toaster on the bottom shelf, along with various other catering contraptions. Yuuno had told her about how people always seemed to give him cookware as gifts. He had everything from a waffle iron to a sausage stuffer.

If she recalled correctly, her brother had given him the latter. It was almost certainly meant as a joke.

Ignoring it, she found a frying pan and put on the stove. Fate had worked hard to sharpen her skills in the kitchen. Lindy had been a great teacher. She tossed four slices of bread into the toaster, and deftly cracked an egg into the pan. Sunny-side up sounded good.

Yuuno woke to a pleasant aroma. He groggily wiped his eyes and absently put a hand to his cheek. He looked around the room and it took him a moment to realise the smell came from his kitchen. He pulled himself up the plodded over.

"Oh, good morning, Fate." He yawned.

"Ah, good morning Yuuno." She turned to him. "Perfect timing. Breakfast is ready." She placed two plates on the small table.

"Thanks for the trouble." He said as he sat. "I don't think I've had your cooking since we were kids."

Fate flushed and sat as well. "Well, it's just eggs and toast, nothing fancy."

"Well, it's not like there's much to work with here anyways." He noted. "Thanks for the meal."

Fate watched while he ate. Eating breakfast together like that… It was as if they were married…

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Ah! Nothing." Fate bit into her toast. What was she thinking?

"So what are your plans for today? Are you going back to work?"

Fate considered it a moment. She certainly felt up to it, but the detective had told her to take the day off.

"No. They told me I should go ahead and take today off too." She replied, but then considered something else. "So… if you aren't busy, how about we go out somewhere? You know, to make up for last night…"

Yuuno thought about it for a beat. "Sure, why not." He decided. If any demons lingered, a day out on the town would chase them away. "I just need to make a call. Thanks for the food. It was good."

Fate smiled. "Ok. I'll handle the dishes." She took his empty plate with hers to the sink.

Yuuno went into his living room and called up a display. He punched in the numbers and waited. And waited. And waited some more. He frowned, but a face popped onto the screen before he hung up.

"Yeeeees, L'Aries residence…" The young woman, clearly fresh out of bed, yawned.

"Good morning Chrys." Yuuno chuckled. "Sorry to wake you so early." Her tired blue eyes snapped to attention.

"Ah! Sensei!" She attempted to pat down her frazzled, pink hair. "I wasn't expecting you to call! I thought I didn't start until ten… Am I late?"

"No, no. I'm just calling to tell you that I'll be taking the day off. So you're in charge." The girl was still a little rough around the edges, but she had proven herself capable of handling the tasks required of her as Yuuno's new assistant. She had stepped into those shoes after the aforementioned staff changes.

"Did something come up?" Chrys blinked. "It's rare for you to suddenly take a break."

"It's nothing to worry about…"

"Yuuno, I'm done with the dishes." Fate said as she walked into view. You could almost hear the tumbleweed blow past as Fate blinked, Yuuno panicked, and Chrys's mouth moved in slow motion. It eventually formed a lopsided grin.

"Good morning, Fate-san. Sensei, you dog. Why didn't you say so?" Chrys made special note of Fate's attire. Those weren't women's clothing. "Have too much fun last night?"

"Ah! You're misunderstanding!" Yuuno insisted. His assistant just laughed.

"Well then, I won't keep you two. Don't worry about the Library." She winked. "You just enjoy yourselves." And she hung up.

Fate and Yuuno stood in silence a moment.

"She totally has the wrong idea, doesn't she?" He sighed.


	4. Chapter 4

Well, if you thought that last chapter was cliche, this one is even worse ;)

* * *

As to prevent further misunderstandings, Fate changed back into her uniform which had been cleaned the night before. She made her way out of Yuuno's apartment building, hoping she didn't run into anyone she knew along the way. She made it to the main walk way unseen and proceeded to her own dorm room for a change of clothes.

She examined her wardrobe and picked out a black sweater and a white dress that reached her ankles. The weather report had predicted a nice, but a tad cold, day. She debated whether she should put on makeup or do something with her hair, but decided against it. Like the dinners, she was simply going on an outing with a friend. It wasn't as if it was a date or anything.

Even if she wanted to consider it one.

As planned, she met Yuuno outside of the transport depot. He had changed into beige slacks, and a green shirt. Overtop he wore a brown jacket. He opted to wear his glasses today.

"All set?" He asked.

"Yes. Let's go." And after a quick procedure, the pair was on the surface. Fate considered getting her car from the parking lot, but as soon as she stepped out into the beautiful day, she decided against it. It was the perfect weather for walking.

"So, where would you like to go?" He asked. Fate honestly had no idea. The only other guy she had ever gone on the town with was Chrono, and he was only there to carry Amy's bags. When Fate and her aides had days off, the three of them usually went shopping, but today she didn't have anything she needed to buy.

Of course Fate didn't particularly care where they went. So long as she was with Yuuno, she was happy.

"I don't know, to be honest." She said. "Let's just walk and talk until something catches our attention."

"Sounds good to me."

And that's what they did. They wandered through the Sunday sidewalk traffic, chatting away. They jumped from talks about Fate's niece and nephew, to new policies being enforced by the Bureau. They reminisced about the past, and reflected on more recent events.

"Boy, did Nanoha sure give us a scolding." Yuuno laughed sheepishly.

"Well… I knew not telling her about you being accused of murder until after you were cleared wouldn't be good…"

"I was the one who told you not to tell her, so it's my fault anyways." He scratched his cheek. "Well, she didn't stay mad for long, at least."

"She was just happy it turned out well. She cares about you a lot, you know."

"Yeah, I know." Yuuno flushed a little. Fate caught it, but didn't let it bother her. She was well aware of Yuuno's feelings for Nanoha. She hoped she might begin to slowly change that.

Before they knew it, it was lunch time. Time seemed to just blur past and they found themselves in a park. The blast of green was a welcome change from the white concrete.

Because Fate still didn't find the idea of meat appealing, they found a stall selling veggie wraps. Finding a nice bench in the sun, they sat down to eat.

"It really is a great day, isn't it?" Yuuno said between bites. Fate nodded in response.

"Just look how many people are out here…" She watched as a group of boys on skateboards rode past. The red warehouse and grieving family members flashed through her mind. She frowned and placed the rest of her wrap down.

"Are you ok, Fate?"

"Yeah… I just lost my appetite…"

Yuuno was pretty much done anyways, so he decided they best get moving again so the gloom wouldn't set in. "Let's go then." He stood up and offered his hand. Fate stared at it blankly for a beat before she smiled and took it, letting him help her up.

Venturing further into the park, they discovered a large crowd of people. They were gathered around several street performers who had set up shop. Yuuno and Fate merged into the crowd, catching glimpses of jugglers, amateur magicians (of the slight-of-hand variety), comedy duos, caricaturists, one-man bands, and even a mime. The park was filled with music, laughter, cheers, and the jingling of loose change.

The two young adults got lost in the merriment, laughing, cheering, and tossing change as well. In a world of super high technology, it was nice being able to enjoy traditional entertainment.

After having their fill of the festivities, they moved on to the area where many peddlers sat in front of blankets covered with homemade goods. Fate and Yuuno idly looked over what was for sale. Various pins, fridge magnets, dream catchers, hand knitted things, and even bird houses were on display. Everything was surprisingly high quality, but nothing either of them considered purchasing.

While Fate was browsing at another blanket, something caught Yuuno's eye. He picked it up and examined it. Judging it to be well crafted, he looked up at the woman who made it.

"I'll take this." Yuuno decided. The woman took his money and thanked him. He rejoined Fate and held out his purchase. "Here, I got you something."

Fate looked surprised at the simple, gold coloured strand he offered her. All that hung from it was a small, similarly gold coloured medallion carved in the shape of a lightning bolt. "Yuuno, you didn't have to…"

"I can buy a present for my friend if I want to." He said, placing the necklace in her hand. It had just screamed Fate at him. Not only did the colour remind him of her hair, but her magical alignment was electricity. And when in Sonic Form, she was swifter than a crack of thunder. Not to mention she had led the 'Lightning Squad' while in Riot Force 6.

"T-Thank you." Fate said. She felt the cool metal in her hand a moment before she undid the latch and looped it around her neck. After securing it, the pendant rested against her chest, standing out from the black fabric. "I'll take good care of it." She would definitely treasure it.

Satisfied she was happy, Yuuno smiled. "Let's keep going."

They did keep going and ended up back in the heart of the city. It was a bit too early for dinner, so the two wondered what to do to pass the time.

"Well, well. Now isn't this a surprise."

Fate and Yuuno froze. They recognised that accent. They had run into a most troublesome person.

"Here's a pair I never expected to see together." Standing behind them, dressed in a blue, thigh length skirt and a red hoodie, was one Hayate Yagami.

"H-Hayate." Fate smiled uneasily. "What are you doing here?"

"I take days off too, Fate-chan." She grinned at her long time friends. "I should ask what you two are doing here, alone together." Oh yes, Hayate loved seeing them sweat like that. These two were particularly easy to tease.

"Well, is it odd for two friends to hang out together?" Yuuno asked.

"Of course not, Yuuno-kun." Hayate's grin remained. "But most people looking at you would think you were on a date."

"It's not a date." Yuuno and Fate insisted in unison. Hayate noted that Fate's objection was considerably weaker. She pulled her female friend to the side and whispered in her ear.

"So how long has this been going on?"

"Hayate!" Fate whispered back. The other girl chuckled.

"Aw, c'mon, let me have a little fun." Fate just frowned at her. "Ok, ok, I'll keep my mouth shut."

"Thanks."

"Damn it, embarrassed Fate-chan is so cute too…" Hayate sighed and moved away. "Even if I told Nanoha-chan, she'd just give a boring response like 'That's not surprising, Fate-chan and Yuuno-kun are good friends, after all' anyways."

Fate had a feeling she was going to tell Shari about it regardless. Those two were scarily similar at times.

"Well, I should stop interrupting your date." Hayate said as she dashed away. "Don't forget to use protection!"

"HAYATE!" The Mid Childan natives yelled at the fleeing Japanese girl. The blondes gave each other uneasy side glances, noting that they were both red faced. Now things were awkward. Yuuno searched the surroundings for anything they could possibly do.

"Uh… Let's go see a movie!" He declared, pointing to the theatre.

"S-Sure." Fate agreed on reflex. It took them a moment to realise that going to the movies was the number one thing couples did on a date. However, neither wanted to admit that out loud, so they went into the theatre regardless.

"S-So, what movie do you want to see?" Yuuno asked, slowly regaining his composure.

Fate had no idea what movies were playing. All she had to make a judgement on were the posters. Fate ignored the ones that looked like action movies. She had enough violence in her day job already. That only left the movies that looked like sappy romances, though. And considering her company and the already awkward atmosphere…

Fate stole a glance at her companion, only to see him trying reeeeally hard not to look at one of the posters. Laughter broke through the embarrassment as she saw which one. He didn't need to be so reserved.

"What?" He asked when she giggled.

"Ok, Yuuno. I want to see that one." She said, pointing to the poster for the movie titled 'Lost Civilizations in 3D.'

Yuuno laughed at himself. "It was that obvious, huh?"

They had a small disagreement over which one of them would pay for the tickets, but Fate eventually won. He had given her that charm, so she could at least treat him to a film. They skipped the snack bar and went right to their seats. Their timing was perfect as the movie soon began.

For the next hour and forty five minutes, they were taken on a journey through renderings of ancient Belka, ancient Balmar, and ancient Zuvorg. The images literally flew off the screen as a smooth voiced narrator explained how each society functioned and what every day life was like. It also had a brief run down of the sorts of technologies that were commonplace but no longer see use in the present. Fate wondered if she would ever come across any of those gadgets in her work.

"So, what did you think?" Yuuno asked cautiously when they left the theatre.

"I thought it was interesting." She answered. "I liked seeing just how different, and how similar, the people of the past were to us."

"That right. A lot of traditions get abandoned as time passes, but there are key elements that remain common to our species as a whole, and… I'm rambling again." Yuuno would often pull out the brakes when he got talking about history. Fate didn't mind it. It usually seemed like Yuuno would always withhold what he wanted to say on the assumption that no one was interested in hearing about it. She wished he would cut loose more often.

"Why don't you tell me more over dinner?" She was hungry again. Yuuno nodded.

"Let's do that." They decided to go vegetarian again, and found a new restaurant with that theme. While they ate their greens, Yuuno outlined the history of antagonism between the Balmar and the Zuvorg, and how Belka tried not to get involved in it. Fate listened intently, enthralled by the enthusiasm in which he spoke.

The sun had already set by the time they left the restaurant. Yuuno's story had been quite detailed. The night air was much chillier, causing Fate to shiver. She felt a weight on her shoulders and realised it was Yuuno's jacket.

"We should probably head home now." He suggested. Fate pulled the jacket closer.

"You're probably right." Fate didn't want the day to end, but knew it couldn't last forever. She had had a lot of fun, and would remember it for a long time.

An inhuman roar resounded between the buildings. What followed was unmistakably screams of terror.

Fate and Yuuno exchanged quick glances before running towards the source. They rounded the corner of a building and found a scattered crowd of people cowering in fear. Some stared up into the sky, some gawked at the ground.

Littering the ground were four marrow katanas, hilts protruding from their fleshy sheaths. Life fluid spilled out from each. More red rained from the sky, and soon following it was the sack of meat. It burst like a water balloon as it smacked into the concrete, which fractured under the impact.

The masses continued to shriek. Fate let her eyes linger on the carnage for a moment before she looked to the sky. In the dark, moonless night, she could make out a shadow. She got to work.

"Yuuno, secure the scene!" She ordered. Yuuno nodded and began his hand seals. Fate didn't have time to wait for the proper authorization to use her magic in the city. She'd get it later. "Bardiche!"

"**Set up."**

In a flash of light, Fate's casual clothes were replaced by her barrier jacket, and her axe-like device was in hand. She shot of into the air, heading towards where she saw the shadow. She reached it as it began to turn away.

"Stop! I am Enforcer Fate Testarossa Harlaown of the Time Space Administration Bureau! I request that you give up and come peacefully."

The shadow turned back, seemingly to consider this new arrival. They were beyond the reach of the city lights, but Fate could still make out an outline of what flew before her. It was mostly humanoid in shape with slightly hunched over posture. Each of its ten fingers ended with sharpened points. Blood still dripped from them. On its back where two large, curved wings, resembling a bat's rather than a bird's. Its face was pulled out in an elongated snout. Golden eyes stared back at her.

It let out a low, feral growl, and turned away again. Fate didn't imagine words would work on it. Instead, she held out her hand and bands of light wrapped around its wrists and ankles.

"**It is confirmed, sir. The energy reading given off by this life form is the same unknown discovered at previous crime scene."**

"I don't know what you are, but I'm taking you in."

Her prey would have none of that, however. It simply flexed its limbs and the binds shattered, much to Fate's surprise. It then continued on its way.

"It broke my binds so easily?" She gripped Bardiche with both hands. "In that case…"

"**Haken form."** Bardiche's head flipped up and the energy blade appeared.

"Haken saber!" Fate called as she swung her device forward. The energy blade shot out and spun towards its target.

The creature flipped around and drew its arm across its chest. In a quick horizontal swipe, it batted Fate's attack away. The arc of light disappeared harmlessly into the dark.

"What is this thing?" She gritted her teeth and prepared for her next attack. However, she noticed the shadow had its palm outstretched towards her. It let out a roar as a ball of white light formed in its hand. Fate barely had enough time to throw up a shield before the blast fired out. The beam pounded her shield. Fate was baffled once again as her defence quickly crumbled. She managed to drop her altitude as her shield shattered, and the blast passed safely above her. She turned towards her adversary, but it was too late.

It was already gone.

Fate cursed silently and descended to the ground. There she found Yuuno attempting to handle the crowd. Many had fallen silently into shock, but several demanded they be allowed to leave.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you leave." Yuuno explained. "You're all witnesses, so you'll need to be questioned."

"Who the hell are you, anyways? What right do you have to keep us here?"

"Please, I need everyone to calm down." Fate declared from the air. "I'm an Enforcer from the TSAB, and this is now a crime scene. I ask for your cooperation in this matter so we can learn exactly what happened here."

The objections turned to soft mutters as the witnesses took seats on the side of the road.

"Thanks for the help." She told Yuuno when she landed next to him. She noted the black domes that concealed the dismembered parts from sight. Yuuno just nodded and smiled grimly.

Fate called up a display and inputted a number. "This is Enforcer Harlaown." She said. "Put me through to Detective Ford. I have a homicide."

* * *

Oh look, it's the plot!

I have zero sense of style, so if you think the clothing choices and stuff aren't that great, that's why.

You know, before I had never considered addressing Nanoha's reaction when she found out about the murder charge. I was surprised to see people asking about it, so I added it in. You might feel I glossed over it too quickly, though.

I had Hayate make an appearence, because, well, this might not be that obvious, but she's actually my favourite character.

Thanks again for all the support, everyone. A certain some one had been PMing me insistantly, going on about how 'wrong' I am and how I'm doing such a 'horrible' thing. Seeing how many +Favs, hits, and reviews I get (from NanoFate fans too) really helps keep my spirits up.

I've finally just blocked that person.


End file.
